Waxing and Waning
by malteselover
Summary: It's Teddy's sixth year at Hogwarts, and everything is going well for the handsome metamorphamagus. But then, strange symptoms begin to arise in Teddy. Are they connected? Teddy must learn to recognize himself and what he is inside.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Teddy! Wake up!" a voice called. Teddy rolled over, and grumbled something incoherent. "Oi! Wake up. It's your birthday!"

Teddy sat up and rubbed sleep out of his eyes. "Happy Birthday!" shouted the voice. Teddy looked over to see Ross Dannon, his best friend, staring at him and grinning. He was holding a pillow aloft, and looked as though he would have thrown it had he not sat up.

It took a few minutes before it hit him. Teddy was now officially seventeen. He was now of-age. He smiled at the thought. Apparition and magic at home; he was already getting excited.

"You got gifts," Ross said, breaking the momentary silence. Teddy just became aware of the packages sitting at the foot of the bed. He bent down and began to rip open gifts. His grandmother had sent him a watch. It was pretty cool. It had twelve hands, and little stars revolving around the edges. Inside was a note. "Happy Birthday sweetie. I'm only hoping that coming of age knocks some sense into you. Stay out of trouble, and hopefully I won't be getting another letter from the school." Well, that was his Gran for you, always half praising, and half scolding. His other gifts included a bag of assorted Weasley's Wizard Wheezes products from Ross, a Sneakscope from James, a broom compass from Albus ("Mom suggested it when we went to Diagon Alley!" wrote an excited Albus.) and a card from Victoire. After reading the card, Teddy discreetly slipped it under his pillow. He then continued opening his gifts. From his godfather, Harry, Teddy got a…mirror. At first, Teddy was puzzled, but the gift was explained in the card that came with it.

"Teddy," the letter read, "Okay, I know the gift seems kind of odd. But let me explain. This is a two-way mirror. I have the other one. I had to dig through several shops before I found a pair. If you ever need me for anything, just shout my name into the mirror. We can use it to talk. You'll never know when this might come in handy. My godfather gave me one, and I was foolish not to use it. I only hope you're a bit wiser than I am. Harry." He examined the mirror before placing it carefully on top of his trunk.

His last present was from Harry's friend Ron Weasley. It was a book, _Twelve Fail-Safe Ways to Charm Witches. _The note read, "Teddy, you'd agree that you have about as much tact as I do. So you'd probably also agree that you need help. This book is brilliant." Teddy smiled before placing the book aside.

"Come on!" said Ross impatiently. "We'll miss breakfast!" With that Teddy pulled on his school robes, grabbed his wand off the side table, and hurried down the spiral staircase. He was just about to open the portrait hole when a group of giggly girls called out "Happy Birthday Teddy!" Teddy didn't even know who these girls were. They looked like third years, and they all giggled as one of them handed Teddy a box of peppermint toads. Teddy looked around to Ross for help, but he only grinned and shrugged. Teddy took them, muttered something sounding like a thank you, and hurried out of the common room.

Teddy was used to the attention he frequently got from girls. Teddy was tall, and rather handsome. He had inherited his mother's metamorphamagus trait, and was able to change his appearance at will. He kept his mop of hair an electric shade of blue. He had trouble deciding what color to keep his eyes, but they were currently a gray.

"I wouldn't keep those if I were you." Ross said, "There probably spiked with love potion or something." Teddy considered this, and agreeing that there was probably something other than peppermint in the peppermint toads, vanished them with a casual flick of his wand.

It was after he did this that Teddy realized he was very hungry. He had never felt so hungry before. His stomach growled threateningly. "Gosh, I'm starving." He said. Ross nodded disconcertedly. It was obvious that this news wasn't all that exciting.

The pair reached the great hall, strode past the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin tables, and sat with their fellow Gryffindors. For breakfast, there was the usual assortment of eggs, toast, sausage, and kipper, as well as a few pitchers of pumpkin juice. Once he had sat down, Teddy promptly began filling his plate with everything in reach, including an entire plate of sausages. "Wow," said Ross looking rather concerned, but impressed, "It's like you've never seen food before or something." Teddy paid no attention to the comment, and proceeded to suck down the entire contents of the plate. But even when he finished, Teddy still felt hungry. As though he hadn't eaten anything at all. He was craving more of those sausages, but Ross grabbed his arm. "If you eat anymore, you're brooms not going to hold you up, and you'll need to stay up if we are going to crush Ravenclaw at Saturday's game."

Oh yeah, Quidditch. Teddy was a Chaser and captain of the Gryffindor team. He loved Quidditch ever since Harry had taken him to his first World Cup Match. Teddy had been seven, and he had absolutely loved the game. His excitement for the sport had not diminished since.

But even as he sat at the table, his hunger for those sausages, or any meat really, began to become more persistent. It was like a creature sat in his stomach. Growling and scratching, it wanted another sausage desperately. He craved it. It was taking every ounce of will power he had not to grab another one. But just then, Ross stood up. "Come on, we'll be late for Herbology," he said. Teddy stood up, and the hunger subsided. What had just happened? But he pushed it out of his mind as he headed outside toward the green houses.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Herbology wasn't Teddy's favorite class, but he still enjoyed it anyway. He knew Professor Longbottom well, after all the times he had come over to dinner at Harry's house, where Teddy spent the majority of his time.

Professor Longbottom was one of the coolest teacher's in Hogwarts in the eyes of his students. But one couldn't tell by looking at him. He was rather round faced and plump. However, he had seen more action than all the students in Hogwarts put together. He was a known friend of Harry Potter. He was recognized for fighting Death Eaters in the Department of Mysteries in his fifth year, and had led a rebellion in Hogwarts his seventh. However, Professor Longbottom rarely spoke about any of this, and instead kept the class discussion on plants.

"Today, class, we will be discussing a plant I am most fond of: the Mimbulus Mimbletonia. Can anyone tell me what is special about the Mimbulus Mimbletonia?" Mr. Longbottom asked. Teddy actually knew the answer to this one. He had met Professor Longbottom's personal Mimbulus Mimbletonia a few years ago, and at the time, had been foolish enough to touch it. Teddy raised his hand cautiously.

"Yes, Mr. Lupin?"

"Yeah, the defensive techniques of the Mimbulus Mimbletonia are what make it unique. It…spews Stinksap when you poke it." Teddy shuddered at the memory of the incident.

"As you would well remember, I'm sure, Mr. Lupin. But yes, the Mimbulus Mimbletonia has an interesting and certainly effective defensive technique. May I have a volunteer?" No one raised his or her hand. "Very well, I'll demonstrate. Watch now." He placed his goggles on, and grabbed a quill lying on his desk. He picked up the pot where the Mimbulus Mimbletonia sat, and poked it carefully, but deliberately. The effect was instantaneous. Stinksap, black and slimy, spurted out from all sides and covered Professor Longbottom, as well as his desk and the students sitting in the front few rows. Teddy was one of them.

"Yuck, this is disgusting!" said a revolted Teddy. Getting covered in Stinksap previously didn't lessen the grossness factor of it all.

"Oh I don't know," said a grinning Ross, "I think it makes you look rather fetching. Put some of this on when you see Victoire next. She won't be able to resist you!"

Ross and Teddy left the greenhouse an hour later, clean, but still smelling faintly of Stinksap. They trudged slowly back towards the castle. Suddenly, a voice called out from behind them.

"Hey look! It's baby blue!" the voice called with a sneer. Teddy and Ross turned around and came face to face with Riley Macnair, Teddy's least favorite person in Hogwarts. He was tall, wide, and very muscular. "I was reading a book last night. It was about freaky mutant people. You should check it out. There was a whole chapter about part werewolf, part metamorphamaguses."

"Shut it, Macnair," said Ross, looking murderously at him. But that was nothing compared to Teddy's reaction.

It was as though something inside him erupted. Teddy felt hot with anger. But it wasn't usual anger. It burned and boiled, starting at his stomach and seeping to every part of his body. It clouded his thoughts, and soon, and animal-like instinct seemed to take over. Without thinking, he ran at Macnair and landed on him full force. He proceeded to punch and kick whatever part of him that he could reach. Macnair didn't take this well though. He tossed Teddy over, and soon, they were both on the ground, fighting each other tooth and nail. Their wands lay forgotten beside them. Ross pulled out his own wand and shouted "_Protego_!" and at once, both Teddy and Macnair flew apart. Ross grabbed hold of Teddy, who hastily picked his wand up off the ground. "Let's go," Ross mumbled. He walked back toward the castle, and Teddy followed reluctantly. He was still seething with anger, but cooled off gradually, and by the time he reached Charms, he had forgotten what caused him to become so angry.

"Don't worry about Macnair. He's Macnair, what did you expect?" Said Ross, as they made there way into the Charms classroom, and sat down at a nearby table. "Anyways, he's got it wrong. You're not a werewolf. You're dad was one."

"Yeah," said Teddy, shaking his head a little. Why had he gotten so angry? It was as though something within him snapped. But it wasn't worth it. Ross was right. It _was _only Macnair.

Suddenly, Teddy realized that he was really hungry. He couldn't wait for lunch.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Charms was rather uneventful. When the bell rang for lunch, Teddy jumped up and hurried down to the great hall, closely followed by a panting Ross. "Hey…wait…up!" he panted. Teddy reached the great hall in record time. He plopped down into the nearest seat, and was already pulling the steak and kidney pie toward him when Ross sat down. "What's gotten into you, mate? You practically ate your body weight in sausages this morning, and you're acting as if you haven't eaten at all!" Ross said, but Teddy didn't hear him. He had filled his plate with as much food as it would allow, and ate the entire contents as fast as he had eaten breakfast.

"Dunno," said Teddy thickly, speaking through mouthfuls of pie. "I'm just really hungry."

"Well, try to breath a little between bites, it looks like your forgetting to. Can't have you stop breathing," said Ross skeptically, turning to his own plate and beginning to eat.

When they finished lunch (well, when Ross was finished. Teddy was still at it), they hurried up to Divination, which was located in the North tower. They had left late, because Teddy had been so reluctant to leave, so they only just made it. The usual silver ladder fell and the students climbed up into the little, attic-like classroom.

Professor Trelawney had retired four years ago, before Teddy had her as a teacher. She had been replaced with Professor Saoirse. She was very misty, often vague, and definitely a true Seer. But more often than not, her predictions were too unclear for anyone to fully understand.

"Class," she said in her loftiest voice, "I must say that I am very worried by the findings in my crystal ball." The class tensed up. This didn't sound like it was going in a good direction. "Ankakumikaityn, my dears, the nomad wolf. It wakes from its long rest, dormant all these years, barricaded by a force too powerful for him to overcome. But the bonds are broken, and he shall emerge." The class stared at her, puzzled. The prediction was just as vague as it ever was. Doreen Diggle, a short Hufflepuff, raised her hand timidly.

"What do you mean, Professor Saoirse?" she asked.

"Do not ask questions!" Professor Saoirse shouted. "I am a Seer! Here to channel what the divine wishes to communicate! Do not ask me to interpret!"

"A lot of help she is," muttered Ross under his breath. Teddy nodded distractedly. He was still pondering the prediction.

What did she mean by "the nomad wolf?" He couldn't help feeling a bit uneasy. Wolves, his name had been attached to them ever since he was very small. His dad was a werewolf; he knew that. Harry once told him that his father was concerned that the werewolf trait had been passed on to Teddy. So, every year from his first birthday on, his Gran had always taken him to the Healers at St. Mungo's. They never saw anything remotely werewolfish in him, and advised him and his grandmother not to worry. So Teddy never gave the idea a second thought. But at the mention of wolf, Teddy began to worry. Ross noticed the look of concern on Teddy's face and said. "Don't worry. You know that she speaks in symbols. The prediction probably meant that a colony of crumpled-horned snorkacks has taken residence in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom or something."

"Yeah, you're right," Teddy sighed, and with a little bit of difficulty, forced the thought out of his mind.

Teddy and Ross were heading back to the common room. They had just finished dinner (during which Teddy had eaten half of a rather large turkey, as well as the majority of a tureen of French onion soup) and were keen to start working on homework. Despite the fact that the end of term was only a month or so away, teachers still felt it necessary to load on homework without mercy.

"I still have to do that essay for Professor Slughorn," Teddy said, as he and Ross approached the portrait of the fat lady. "Agueweed." She swung open and they walked inside the common room.

"What, the one he assigned us a week ago?" Ross asked, slightly bemused.

"Yep,"

"The one due tomorrow?"

"Yep," replied Teddy. He approached the nearest table and dropped his bag beside it, which made a resounding clunk. Ross followed suit. They both sat down and pulled out their books and quills. Teddy pulled out a roll of parchment and began to write. It was very slow work, and Teddy kept pausing every so often. His back was prickling unpleasantly, and he had no idea why. He kept changing positions, but the prickling didn't cease. The frequent stops caused what was already a long essay to take even longer to write. The common room emptied out, until only Ross and Teddy remained. Finally even Ross headed up to the dormitory, telling Teddy that he was exhausted. So Teddy sat alone, writing, the prickling becoming even more unpleasant. It was half past midnight when Teddy finally finished his essay. He didn't even bother reading it over. He was so tired; all he could think about was going to bed. Haphazardly, he shoved his textbook and essay into his bag and trudged up the stairs to the dormitory. He, eager for a rest, pulled on his pajamas and dove into bed.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Teddy tossed and turned in his bed. He could not fall asleep no matter how much he tried. He was so tired, but it was as though there was an on and off switch in his head that was stubbornly stuck on "on." He kept shifting himself in his bed, trying to find the exact position that would allow him to fall asleep. But after thousands of leg and arm position combinations, he finally concluded that he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight. So he decided instead to just lay in bed, and hope he'd eventually succumb to sleep. But his body wasn't about to let him do that either. The prickling started again, and it was unbearable when he was just lying there. So he pulled himself out of bed and, with nothing else to do, walked over to the nearby window and looked outside.

It was still dark, but the sky had already lightened from a black to a deep navy blue. Unlike Teddy, everything else seemed to be asleep. The Forbidden Forest lay silent and undisturbed, and there was no light coming from Hagrid's cabin. The surface of the black lake was as smooth as glass, without a single ripple disturbing it. The lake reflected the deep midnight sky, the stars, and the moon, which seemed to hang directly above it.

Ever since he was little, the moon had fascinated Teddy. There was something so mysterious and magical about it. Its sparkling, pale, light fueled his imagination. He had been so fascinated when he was younger that many of his birthday presents had been books about the moon. He looked at the not-quite-full moon, and remembered the formal name for it: Waxing Gibbous. More than one half of the moon was visible. It would be full by the end of the week.

Teddy had never remembered being so tired as he went to his first class of the day, Transfiguration. It was normally his favorite class, but today he could barely keep his eyes open as Professor McGonagall talked about some of the basics in Human Transfiguration. Like he really needed to know how to do this anyway, he thought. He had been able to change his nose shape before he could walk. As she talked, he could feel his suddenly leaden eyelids droop slowly shut as he fought to keep them opened. The urge to sleep was so strong, but he knew he couldn't do it in this class. Professor McGonagall wasn't very understanding when it came to those things, and the last thing he needed was a detention, with the biggest Quidditch match of the season this weekend. He had scheduled practices every night starting tonight. He just couldn't afford to miss a practice. It was with great relief when the bell finally rang. With a little help from Ross, he dragged himself out of his seat and walked slowly, feeling more like a Zombie than ever, to potions.

While he was not particularly fond of potions, Professor Slughorn had a certain affection for him. Harry had said that Slughorn had a tendency to "collect" students and pick favorites. Teddy figured that Slughorn liked him mostly because Harry was his godfather. Slughorn's blatant favoritism normally made Teddy feel uncomfortable, but it meant he wouldn't be severely reprimanded for accidentally falling asleep.

"Good morning, Mr. Lupin! Mr. Dannon!" said a very cheerful Slughorn. Ross said a polite but unexcited good morning. Teddy could do no more than grumble indistinctly.

"Yes, everyone settle down!" said Slughorn. "Take out your books. Today we will discuss the properties of Munkshood. First off, can anyone tell me what Munkshood is?" Teddy didn't hear what Munkshood was. He was too tired to focus on the class, he tried in vain to keep his eyes opened and look as though he was paying attention, but he couldn't bring himself to it. Before he could stop himself, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

He was running, running faster than he had ever done in his life. He felt alive, power coursing though his veins. Low to the ground, he was practically flying, He didn't know where he was going, but his legs seemed to. All of a sudden, he stopped, and automatically looked up. He was directly below the moon, shining brightly and whole. He felt energized, strengthened by the moon. Euphoria came over him, tickling his entire body. He opened his mouth wide, and—

"Teddy, wake up!" He could feel himself being shook roughly. He woke up with a start, shaking his head. Teddy looked around and realized that everyone in the class was now looking at him. Slughorn glared at him rather impatiently.

"I'm sorry professor. What…"

"I just asked you by what other names does Munkshood go by?" Slughorn seemed irritated.

"Oh…yeah…um…Aconite…and…err…"

"Wolfsbane," Slughorn finished, "It should be noted that Munkshood is the key ingredient in the Wolfsbane potion, which as you know…" Teddy didn't catch the rest. He sat in his chair and stared vacantly out the nearby window. His thoughts were not about Munkshood, but about the strange dream he had just had. What had that been all about? The details were all ready beginning to slip from his mind. He had been running, and he was outside, and there was the moon. He had been about to do something, when Ross had woken him up. It was one of the most vivid dreams he had ever had. It had felt so real. He tried to figure out what his strange dream meant, but his mind was already foggy from being sleep-deprived. So instead, he continued to sit and make sure that he at least kept his eyes opened, while his mind wandered elsewhere. He thought of the Quidditch pitch, where the team would practice tonight, and his dormitory, where he wished he were, so he could take a much needed nap.


End file.
